Two Awarii Dunes Photos - Jim Engh

[RJ_Daley]

Jason, I think they are shooting for May-June open.  I think Mr Engh has done some interesting reshaping on the front (although I am not too familiar with the front since I only looked at it when it was Craneview, not played it).  That area is one of those, as you know, patches of smallish chop hills among ag fields.  The back looks very nice for gentle chop hill like rolls and good golf terrain.  They are going to have an interesting national model for a set fee that entitles you to a certain number of playing rounds to be divided however you like, using up the credits yourself or offered to friends or biz associates.  That along with regular memberships.  I think they want to offer a few stages of member rights to address the idea of out of area potential member needs.

The actual turf guys will all have their opinions that are certainly more well reasoned than mine.  I would just look at who has the best results 'in that area of climate' to produce consistent firm and fast at a great price...and what do they have seeded in FW? 

[Greg Chambers]

Are you sure the turf is wall to wall bentgrass?  That's an interesting choice on a course that's supposedly been designed with f&f playing conditions in mind, especially in that region.

[Adam Clayman]

Greg, Specifically A-4.

I was told that they are confident that it will work.

Time will tell.

One would think that on pure sand, it will play firm enough. Especially given the number of days the wind blows.

Knowing how well the fairways work at WH, it should be an interesting comparison.

[Jason Hines]

Good point Adam, does anyone recall what WH fairways are?  I thought they were a Blue Grass/Winter Rye blend?  Or maybe they were just blue.....

J.

[Greg Chambers]

A-4 is a lot more expensive to maintain than blue, and there's no reason blue wouldn't have worked just as well if not better.  Interesting choice.

[Adam Clayman]

Jason, Greg,
 The fairways at WH are a low mow strain of blue. At least thats how I know it.

With the loss of the fescue green collars at WH, the fairway plays much firmer that the collars, now. So, in order to play a low runner, one must land their ball in the fairway and get it rolling before it gets to the collars. Any ball that lands in the collar, has what I call the sponge effect. One, maybe two ineffectual bounces before it dies to a trickle.

[Scott Szabo]

Adam,

Is it me or have the fairways at WH also softened up a bit?  We play there every June and I know it used to get much more roll.  Either that or I need to go on a fitness regimen! 

We used to play the tips, now we have moved up a set as we have quite a few higher handicaps making the trip with us, and I'm certain I used to play from a shorter distance into the holes than I do now, even from the tips.

[Jason Hines]

Hi Scott,

I noticed the same thing when I played WH for the first time in a few years at the end of this past May.  However, according to Josh Mahar’s blog on the WH website they were letting the course grow in more than usual to help repair the winter kill at that time in May.  I guess I just chalked it up to the grow in...

[Adam Clayman]

Scott, It really does depend on when you play there. Josh is very meticulous and aerates his fairways religiously. This June would've been a tough time for anywhere to play really firm.

I'm not sure I can compare the firmness of the fairways from 02' to today. I do know that they are firmer than the collars. The ball still bounces and rolls better than most anyplace else. Save for a few of it's regional neighbors.

[Greg Chambers]

Adam,

What grass is in the collars at WH?

[Adam Clayman]

Greg, Originally, Fescue.

As I understood it, the decision to take on the added expense of maintaining the fescue collars was justified because they were integral to the design. Once the market started complaining that their balls won't hold the greens, there was a back track in how to present the course. Since this back track, the fescue was no longer meticulously maintained and the bent grass from the greens has invaded. leaving almost no fescue.

The difference is very noticeable and imo, frustrating. But rather than harp and bitch and moan, I choose to adapt my shots.

The course is still better than most modern designs and plays firmer than most too. It is still one of the best values in the entire country, if not the world.

[Greg Chambers]

Adam,

I figured you were going to tell me that the bent was taking over in the collars.  That's why I'm having a tough time understanding why Awarii Dunes would go with wall to wall bent.  It makes no sense if the course is to play fast and firm on a consistent basis.  Especially in that climate.  I guess they're anticipating having a rather large maintenance budget.

[Scott Szabo]

The course is still better than most modern designs and plays firmer than most too. It is still one of the best values in the entire country, if not the world.

Assuming we're talking about Wild Horse - I'd whole heartedly second that.  I look forward each and every year to our return trip in early June.  It's awesome to see what they accomplished in Gothenburg.

[Adam Clayman]

Here's a couple I was sent today.

The first is the 11th and the 2nd is ? I have no idea.

[Adam Clayman]

Finally, had the great pleasure to play the entire course, yesterday. The first question I originally had was about the turf choice of having all the same grass, Tees, Fairways, and, Greens. Well, there's no questions now. It works and works very well. Being able to distinguish where the green starts, and fairway ends, is almost imperceptible. And on several holes, this aspect, accentuates the golfer's senses to full throttle mode. The firmness of the turf was perfectly "humming". The variety of holes, shots and looks, was, as always when using the natural lay of the land, infinite. It inspired a plethora of creative opportunities to devise shots of my choosing.

There's been a lot of chatter about the conditions of the course. Awarii will always be rough around the edges. That's the owner's desire. It works on many levels and it could be argued that the maintenance practice employed here, will be how golf is viewed in the future. Much less manicured and rugged. Sure, you may not have the women's auxiliary playing there, but if any of them are into  the sport over flowery aesthetics, there's no reason they shouldn't play there.

Fun golf with a capital F. And kudos to Jim, Tim and Kent, for creating another venue, where sick puppy aficionados, can widen thier smile as their ball takes bouncing and rolling to a new art form in Kearney Nebraska.

[Noel Freeman]

quote author=Adam Clayman link=topic=44478.msg1123912#msg1123912 date=1315931056]
Finally, had the great pleasure to play the entire course, yesterday. The first question I originally had was about the turf choice of having all the same grass, Tees, Fairways, and, Greens. Well, there's no questions now. It works and works very well. Being able to distinguish where the green starts, and fairway ends, is almost imperceptible. And on several holes, this aspect, accentuates the golfer's senses to full throttle mode. The firmness of the turf was perfectly "humming". The variety of holes, shots and looks, was, as always when using the natural lay of the land, infinite. It inspired a plethora of creative opportunities to devise shots of my choosing.

There's been a lot of chatter about the conditions of the course. Awarii will always be rough around the edges. That's the owner's desire. It works on many levels and it could be argued that the maintenance practice employed here, will be how golf is viewed in the future. Much less manicured and rugged. Sure, you may not have the women's auxiliary playing there, but if any of them are into  the sport over flowery aesthetics, there's no reason they shouldn't play there.

[/quote]


Adam- you quote that the conditions are rough around the edges and then post two pictures which are enhanced and I'm guessing by photoshop.. I only had 1 visit, but the course looked nothing like that..

I agree the course is FUN but as I stated a few months ago in my humble opinion (again from one visit which surely I can be wrong), unless you are driving from Omaha west on I-80, this is not a destination course..  And before anyone gets on about conditioning, I play a ton of places that arent in great shape, I don't care about green/deep green/kelly green fairways, I belong to a UK club that is often brown.

#11 is the very short (under 100 yards, I think 88 yards or so from the member tees) with a HUGE GREEN..

#10 is the first picture and it looked more like this:

[Adam Clayman]

Adam- you quote that the conditions are rough around the edges and then post two pictures which are enhanced and I'm guessing by photoshop.. I only had 1 visit, but the course looked nothing like that..

I agree the course is FUN but as I stated a few months ago in my humble opinion (again from one visit which surely I can be wrong), unless you are driving from Omaha west on I-80, this is not a destination course..  And before anyone gets on about conditioning, I play a ton of places that arent in great shape, I don't care about green/deep green/kelly green fairways, I belong to a UK club that is often brown.

Better check those dates on the posts. I posted pix sent to me, which were obviously enhanced and THEN I mentioned the rugged desires of the team.

As far as a destination course, I don't believe that's their model at all. It more closely resembles a semi-private model, with some added benefit from synergies with other local business.

The areas of rough conditions had zero effect on playability. The rough yielded lies of unpredictable result, but easily playable and certainly challenging.

There is no question that some people will view some of the greens as over the top or unfair. That's their loss if that's how they choose to see it. The way it played yesterday, it was all golf ever has to be.